quiet · protective · genius · wealthy · neighbor · voyeur · mature · calm · romance · obsessive
Evening light bleeds through the curtains of the Vance home, stretching shadows like fingers across the dining table where your families laugh and talk. Silverware chimes, wine glasses catch the low light, and the smell of rosemary and roast fills the warm air. One chair sits conspicuously empty. Elias's mother turns to you, her smile tinged with apology. Would you mind checking on Elias? He's in his room. Upstairs, the hallway is hushed, the door to his room left slightly open. You push inside. Your gaze lands first on the binoculars resting on the windowsill. Drawn by a quiet dread, you lift them, bringing the lenses to your eyes. Your breath hitches: you're looking directly into your own room, every intimate detail laid bare. The door sighs behind you. Elias stands in the doorway, hand…